Removing normal moveout from seismic traces



Oct. 22, 1957 E. P. mElNERs, JR 2,810,898 'A R'EMovING NORMAL MovEoUT FROM SEISMIC TRA-CES Filed Dec. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EDWIN P. MEINE/PS, JR.

Oct. 22, 1957 E. P.' MEINERS, JR 2,810,898

` REMOVING NORMAL MOVEQUT FROM SEISMIC TRACES Filed Dec. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N V j 1.

INVENTOR 50W/N P. ME/NERS, JR.

SYM

@gi/[4% A OR N EYS A 2,8lll,898 Patented ocezz, i957 YAice REMoviNG NoRMAL Movnour FROM saisi/nc macias EdwinP. Meiners, Jr., Wlnfttier, Calif., assigner to California Research Corporation, San Francisco, Caiif., a corporation of Delaware Y t Application December 28, 1954, Serial No. 478,145 p p' s Claims. (C1. 34e-15) This invention relates in `general to seismic prospecting and relates more speciiically torne'thodsof and apparatus for analyzing data obtained in such prospecting.

In the reilection method of seismicrprospecting, energy from an artiiicial seismic disturbance is reflected from various subsurface strata back to seismic wave detectors at or near the surface of the earth which convert `the detected movement into corresponding output signals. The output signals are amplified and then recorded for.

subsequent analysis. Usually, the seismic wave detectors are spaced different distances from the location of the Y seismic disturbance so that energy reilected from a given reflecting horizon arrives at the different detectors at different times, resulting in time shifts of corresponding signal portions of the different seismic traces. Thesevtime shifts which are caused bythe different spacings of the detectors are commonly referred toas normal moveout and they tend to obscure alignments of Vcorresponding signal portions Vacrossthe traces, thus making/it difiicult to accurately determine the presence of a reflecting horizon. Additionally, where the .seismic traces `areftobe combined or mixed into a single trace in whichthe signalportions of the mixed traces reinforce each otherrand the extraneous energy or noise portions tend to randomize or cancel, the presence in Vthe mixed tr aces' of the normal moveout time variations prevents accurate alignment of corresponding signal portions across the traces, thus `resulting in a less than optimum reinforcement of the`corV responding signal portions in the resultant mixed trace.v

The normal moveout time varies in magnitude during4 the' seismic disturbance,'being largest immediate1yaf,tei

the disturbance, when thedifferences in distances ofthe p Y travel paths to the diierent -detectorsfor energypfrorn a l given reflecting horizon are largest, and decreasing innrag-` p nitude as these vdifferences decrease for successively deep-.

er reflecting horizons. The exactmanner in which the normal moveouttime varies as a function fofthe time after the disturbance will, ofcourse, dependV on the sprac-V ings of the different detectors and the particular velocity p functionobtaining in the surveyed area. It iscustomary to compute the normal moveout time fora given reliecting horizon and a given. detector, either on the basis of? Va known velocity function orfrom iield data obtainedin the eld with split spreads. In thelatter case the normal the sum of the moveouts of the outside traces, represent` ing equal offsets but opposite in direction.

` moveout for a particular reflection is given as one half of Y Heretofore, numerous methods 4and apparatushave been seismic prospecting, a number 'of methods have been proproposed for removingthe normal moveout time variai" tions from seismic traces, but none has been particularly successful. With the advent of reproducible recording' in posed'for removing normal moveout by` effecting relative shifts in the positions of the recording or reproducing heads relative to the recording medium to produce relative time shifts in the recorded or reproduced traces. In one of such methods, the reproducibly recorded tracesare reproduced a plurality of times and the reproducing heads produced traces are to be mixed, only that signal portion of .eachtrace corresponding to the reiiection for which normal moveout has been removed will produce optimum reinforcement when mixed. Y

An additional method sometimes utilized to remove normal I moveout lis to continuously move eachV of the recording or reproducing heads relative to the recording' Y l medium dun'ngeither recording or reproducing of the traces to continuously` vary the time sequences of the tracesin'nattempt to provide the desired correction.

However, `therproblem is complicated by the fact that theV requiredinormral moveout correction `varies nonlinearly with respect to the time elapsing after the disturbance,

the required correction beinglargest immediately after the disturbance, when the differences in the distances `of thetravel paths tothe dierentV detectors for a given reflection are largest, and decreasing nonlinearly with time n as Vtheseditlerences decrease. An additional complicating' consideration'is that the instantaneous values of the re.- quired correctionvary nonlinearly from detector to detector,"fparticularly at thestart of the record when theN required correction is large.

' One of the Vapproaches utilized in this continuous correctionme'thod is toimount thereproducing heads at I spac'edfapart points along a member which -overlies the `recording medium and which is pivoted at one end for, programmed, nonlinear movement relative vto the time axis of the recording medium. However, this method has the disadvantage that the dilerent reproducing heads are spacedralong the 'member at distances proportional to the squares Aof the Vdistances of the different detectors from the shot point, thus resulting in the reproducing heads 'corresponding to the detectors closest to the shot point being located at relatively closely spaced points near the fixed end of the member, and the Vreproducing heads corrosponding to the detectors farthest from the shot point being located at relatively widely spaced points' vnea'ri'the movable end of the member. lThis is disadvantageous` when it is considered that the reproducing heads nearest Vthe fixedv end of the member are capable of relatively little movement unless the member is of almost i prohibitively great length. This type of a system has the f further disadvantage that, owing to the square law relationship existing between the detector spacing and reproducing head spacing, it is difficult to accommodate changes in detector spacing.V An additional disadvantage of this system is that it introduces the largest error at the early part of the seismic record when the required cor# rection is also largest, thus resulting in a maximum error in the moveout correction operation.

Broadly, the present invention contemplates methods of and apparatus for correcting a plurality Vof seismic traces for the ettectsV of normal moveout time variations in which the introduced correction varies nonlinearly along 'the traces VWith'respect to time and nonlinearly from trace totra'ce. More particularly, the invention contemplates introducing the desired correction by program-` ming themovement of the reproducing or recording heads in accordance with the movement of a resilient member which has a deformingforce of variable magnitude appliedthereto during recording orV reproduction. The resilient, member is suitably shapedso that its deformation in response to the deforming Vforce varies nonlinearly from head to head, corresponding to the required nonconnected to different points along the .length-.ofthe member to vary the positions of the ditferentheadsrelative to each other and to the recording medlum durlng the moveout correction operation. The. reproducing-.orrecording heads are connected .to they resilient member` at points which are spaced in direct proportion to the distances of the different detectorsfrom the shot point, so

that variations in the spacings of the detectors-mayY be v readily accommodated by corresponding proportional variations in the connections .of-thefheads ltorltheref silient member. Y .Y

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provld improved methods of` and apparatusfor correcting a plurality of seismic traces for normal moveout time vari# ations.

It is an additional object of the presentinventionntoVV provide methods of and-apparatus for correcting a plu' rality of seismic detecto-rfsignals for normal moveoutV time variations, in which the correction varies no nlinearly both throughout the duration of the traces and v 25 from trace to trace.

It is a further object of -this invention to" provide methods of and apparatus for correcting aplurality of reproducibly recorded seismic traces for normal moveout time variations in which the reproducing means` associated with the reproducible recording medium .arerdisf posed at spaced-apart points along ka resilient member which is deformable relative to the recording medium.,

It is an additional object of the present yin ventionto,

provide methods of ,and .apparatus for correcting a plurality of repro-ducibly recorded seismic traces for nonlinear normal moveout ,timevariations in'which the reproducing heads associatedwith therecordingV medium are disposed along-the length of a resilient member which is nonlinearly deformed along itslength duringreproducr I tion of the traces to produce nonlinear variations inthe time sequences of reproduced traces.

It is an additional object of the presentinvention to provide methods of and apparatus for.` correcting a plurality of reproducibly recorded seismic traces for nonlinear normal moveout time variations in which the re-v producing heads associated with the recording medium are disposed along the `length of a resilient memberV which is nonlinearly deformedalong its length duringV reproduction of the traces to produce nonlinear A vari-A ations in theV time ysequences, of .reproducedV traces,; the

distances between the different headsl along the resilientl member being directly proportional to the V-distances ber-f tween the diiferent seismic ,wave detectorsuwhich produce the diiferenttraces.

It is an additional object of the presentinvention to provide methods of and apparatus for correctingla plui rality of reproducibly recorded seismictraces for nonlinear normal moveout time variations in which the reproducing heads associated withV therecording medium are disposed along the length of a resilient member which,

has a deformation along its length duringkreproduction of the traces which is nonlinear both` along thetraces and from trace to trace -to produce nonlinear variations in the time sequences of the reproduced traces.

Objects and advantages other thanl those set forth above will be apparent from the. following. description when'read in connection .with the`accornpanying draw-.

ing, `in which:

Fig. l is a series of curves illustrating the effect of'- normal moveout time variations on a representative group` of seismicdetector signals;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of vone embodiment of a reproducible recording device for carrying out the present invention;

4 Fig. 3 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along plane IV-IV of Fig. 2.

To aid in understanding the considerations involved in normal moveout time variation corrections and the application of this invention to this problem, Fig. l illustrates a series of curves representing a plurality of seismic traces obtained in a representative seismic prospecting operation. The different traces are identified as traces lo, i7', i8, E9, 2Q, 2l, 22 and 2.3, and each curve represents the output of a seismic detector plotted as a function of time. lt is assumed that the detectors producing the traces are spaced at equal distances along a line through the shot point, the detector corresponding to trace i6 being located nearest the shot point and the detector corresponding to trace 23 being located farthest from the shot point.

In practice, it will be. understood that in the split spread method of seismic prospecting, another series of detectors similar to those producing traces i6 through 23 will be located in a line on the other side of the shot point to produce a corresponding plurality of traces, which, together with traces i6 through 23, give complete subterranean coverage as the shot point is moved along the line being surveyed. For the sakeV of simplicity, these other traces are not shown, but it will be understood that these traces. produced by these detectors would be symmetrical with respect to traces l5 through 23iand would be substantially the mirror image of these latter traces.

Traces 16 through 23 each have similar rst peak portionsla, l'7a, ESQ, wa, 20a, 2in, 22a and 23a repvresenting reections of energyfrom a given shallow rev17b, 18b, 191;, Zlib 2lb, 22b and 23b at a subsequent time in the record, corresponding to receipt by the different detectorsV of energy from a second reflecting horizon. These peaks are Yshifted relative to each other along the time axis in a nonlinear fashion, although the total time shift between peaks 16h and 23b is not as great as it is for the iirst reections represented by peaks 16a through 23a. Dottedline 26 running through peaks 16b through 23h illustrates that the normal moveout correction for this particular rellection is also nonlinear and different from themoveoutcorrection represented by dotted line Z5 for peaks 16a through 23a. A third similar reiiection is shown in each of the traces by peaks 16e through 23C, and dotted line-27 joining these peaks hasless slope than either of the preceding normal moveout function lines 25 and 26, but` normal moveout function 27 is also nonlinear, Additional subsequent common peaks in the records and the corresponding dotted line therethrough indicating the normal moveout function are illustrated in traces 16 through 23 to show that the normal moveout time variations decrease as the record progresses until the normal moveout variations are substantially zero when the differences in thedistances of the travel paths to the different detectors are negligible.

Although, for the purposes of clarity of illustration, the'seismic record illustrated in Fig. 1 has been idealized to show fairly pronounced peaks with a minimum of extraneous energy or noise, it will be understoodthat, in

practice, considerable noise is usually present in seismic traces, and that visual alignment of the traces is usually quitedilicult.

apropos Assuming that a seismic record similarA to that illustrated in Fig. 1 has been produced by a plurality of seismic detectors arranged in the manner described, the methods and apparatus of this invention may be utilized to accurately remove the normal moveout time variations from such a record in the following manner. In Pigs. 2, 3 and 4, reference numeral 31 designates generally a reproducible recording device on which the seismic traces may be recorded and then reproduced repeatedly and at will. Recording device 31 may comprise ay rotor mounted inside a housing 35 and on which is disposed a recording medium in the form of a layer of magnetizable material 31a. The rotor on which recording medium 31a is disposed is driven by a motor 33 through a shaft 34.

Recorder 31 is further provided with a plurality of recording and/ or reproducing heads 16', 17', 18', 19', Z0', 21', 22', 23' having electrical connections to the different seismic detectors. These heads overlie recording medium 31a and are adapted to record and/or reproduce information on and from medium 31a. Each of heads 16 through 23 is movable in a slot in the recorder housing 35 a limited distance about the periphery of recording medium 31a to effect time shifts in the relative positions of these recording heads. Each of the recording heads is connected to a resilient or deformable bar member 41 whose movement is programmed in accordance with the normal moveout function obtaining in the area under survey. Member 41 may be disposed at a distance from the recording device and be connected to the different recording or reproducing heads through cables and pulleys, or member 41 may, as shown, have the recording or reproducing heads connected directly thereto and be disposed on recorder frame 35 to overlying medium 31a. Member 41 may be of any suitable material, such as stii rubber or spring steel, capable of undergoing the required deformation with suliicient resiliency. One end. of bar 41 is fixed to a mounting post 42 disposed in the center of recorder 31. The distance from the outer edge of post 42 to head 16 is preferably proportional to the distance between the shot point and the first detector, and the spacing between the heads 16 through 23 is similarly proportional to the spacings between the different detectors. The other end of member 41 has applied thereto a deforming force which varies in magnitude during recording of the seismic traces to vary the configuration of member 41 during such recording. In the embodiment illustrated, the deforming force is applied by a camming finger or arm 43 secured to a disc 44 driven by motor 33 through a gearing 45 and a shaft 46. Different moveout functionsV may be accommodated in resilient member 41 either through variations in the configuration of member 41, or, preferably, through variations in the point along the length of member 41 at which the deforming force is applied. It will be understood that for a resilient member of given length, the maximum curvature will occur when the deforming force is applied at the free end, and that correspondingly less curvature will occur as the point of application of the deforming force is moved toward the fixed end. In the connection, the reproducing or recording heads should be mounted between the fixed end and the point of application of the deforming force to obtain the desired programmed movement.

Heads 16' through 23 are suitably secured at spacedapart points along member 41 and are movable therewith so that the heads move about the periphery of recording medium 31a when deformable bar member 41 moves to effect time shifts in the positions of the different heads relative to the time axis of recording medium 31a. The stiffness of member 41 and the force applied thereto by arm 43 are such as to overcome any tendency of the heads to bend or jam in the slots, thus insuring that the heads move'readily in accordance with theV desired programming. The heads are secured to member 41 in a manner which permits theml toaccurately track theirassociated Vchannels on recording medium 31a without misalignment.v Variations in the spacings of the detectors may be accommodated by utilizing members 41 of different lengths for the different detector spacings, so that the curvature of the selected member 41 corresponds to the moveout function'fo'r the particular detector spacing under consideration.

In operation, assume that seismic traces 16 through 23 have been recorded on medium 31a and that the moveout correction is to be accomplished during reproduction of the traces. As stated above, for the particular seismic surveying` operation illustrated, another group of detectors would normally be utilized and their outputs would be similarly recorded on recorder 31 symmetrically about supporting member 42. These latter heads are also connected at spaced-apart points along a deformable member similar to member 41 whose movement'is programmed by a camming finger driven by motor 33. At the start of the reproducing operation, deformable members 41 would be deformed by cam fingers 43 to cause members 41 to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, with the curvature of members` 41 at this point, as best shown in Fig. 3, corresponding to the curve of line 25 running through the first peaks 16a through 23a of seismic traces 16 through 23.

The operation of the invention may be more readily understood by considering that, in Fig. l, the cylindrical surface of recording medium 31a is developed out into a plane surface with traces 16 through 23 recorded thereon and with curve 25, running through peaks 17a through 23a, corresponding to the curvature of resilient member 41 at the start of the reproducing operation. Each ofA heads 16 through 23 would thus overlie the associated peaks 16a through 23a of the respective seismictraces. Motor 33 may thereupon be started to start rotation of medium 31a under heads 16 through 23. As motor 33 drives recording medium 31a, `camming finger 43 is a'lso driven through gearing 45, shaft 46 and disc 44 to decrease the deforming force applied to resilient member 41. Resilient member 41 thereupon starts to move to return to its'neutral position, thus causing the heads 16 through 23 to move relative to each other and relative to the recording medium.

The movement of finger 43 and the configuration of resilient member 41 are so designed that when recordingV medium 31a has rotated to the corresponding peaks 16h through 23h, resilient member 41 has the configuration or'sh'ape shown by dotted curve 26 running through peaks 16!) through 23b. Heads 16 through 23 are thus accurately positioned relative t0 each other andto the recording medium 31a so that each of these headsoverlies the portion of recording medium 31a containing the associated peaks 16b, 17b, 18h, 19h, 265, 2lb, 2211, and 23h. As recording medium 31a continues to rotate, finger 43 continues to decrease the deforming force applied to resilient member 41, with consequent decrease in the curvature of this member. Thus, resilient member 41 assumes the shape shown by dotted curve 27 when peaks 16e through 23C appear on recording medium 31a, so that heads 16 through 23 exactly overlie the associated peaks 16C through 23C of the respective traces. The operation continues as the deforming force applied to resilient member 41 is decreased to reduce the curvature of resilient member 41 as the normal moveout function decreases during the duration of the seismic traces.

Although, for the purposes of illustration, separate, definite moveout functions Z5, 26 and 27 have been illustrated, it will be understood that, in practice, the moveout function will vary continuously throughout Vthe duration of the seismic record and that the configuration of resilient member 41 will correspondingly continuously vary during reproduction of the seismic traces so that the configuring of member 41 at any instant has the value required to position heads 16 through 23 at the correct positions relative to each other and relative to recording` A'7 medium 31a to provide a continuous normal moveout correction.

Traces reproduced through heads 16 through 23', with normal moveout time variations removed, may be recorded on another recording medium or, alternatively, combined or mixed to produce a composite trace in which each of the reflections is emphasized relative to kthe extraneous energy or noise.

As stated above, kthe shape of resilient member 41 and the point at which the'deforming force is applied thereto may be varied to accommodate diierent normal moveout functions, and the member shape and point of application of the deforming force may be determined from a consideration of the mechanics involved in the dellection of a cantilever bearn in response to la deforming force. In general, it can-be stated that, in the case of a simple beam which is fixed at yone end and which tapers to a point at its free end, if the deforming force is applied at the free end, the resulting curvature of the member may closely approximate the desired normal moveout function, particularly if thecurvature is not too pronounced. However, if additional curvature is required, the length of the tapered member should be increased and the deforming force applied at a point spaced from the free end, thus resulting in, effectively, a resilient member which approximates a trapezoid Ialong its length. It can be shown Athat this latter member has the characteristie that if its maximum deection is the same as that of a simple tapered beam of the same length, its deflection at any point along its length will always be greater than the deflection for the corresponding point along the length of the simple tapered beam. Thus, the trapezoidal shaped beam may be utilized to provide more curvature for a given length than a simple tapered beam.

In this connection, if it is not possible to exactly match the beam coniiguration to the normal moveout function throughout the duration of the seismic record, the emphasis should be placed on obtaining maximum correlation at the start of the seismic record when the required normal moveout time corrections are substantially larger than they are Ilater in the record. Thus, on a percentage of error basis, an error of 50 percent in the introduced correction near the end of the seismic record, where the total required correction may be only 2 milliseconds, will not be very serious, whereas, the same percentage of error near the start of the record, where the required Correction may be, say, 5G milliseconds, will result in an appreciable error in the corrected traces.

lt will be seen that this invention provides novel methods and apparatus for removing normal moveout time variations from a plurality of seismic traces which permits the reproducing heads to be spaced along the resilient member at distances directly proportional to the distances between the different seismic wave detectors, so that variations in the detector spacings may be readily accommodated by proportional variations in the positions of the heads along the resilient member. If the detector spacings vary from record to record and it is desired to process a number of such records rapidly, it may be preferable to locate the resilient deformable member at a distance from the recording medium, rather than have it as a part of the recorder housing itself, as in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and connect the heads to points along the member through a cable and pulley arrangement. Changes in detector spacing can then be easily accommodated by changing the points along the resilient member at which the different cables are connected, thus facilitating changes in the programming of the different heads and permitting the use of a single resi-lient member for a plurality of different moveout functions.

Although but a few embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the. invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for removing the effects of normal moveout on the relative times of occurrence of corresponding signal portions of a plurality of seismic detector traces comprising a reproducible recording medium for recording said traces, a plurality of reproducing heads movable relative to said medium for reproducing said traces, a deformable member having a free end to which a deforming force is applied and a lixed end, said deformable member being nonlinearly deformable along its length in response to -said deforming force, means connecting said reproducing heads at spaced-apart points along the length of said member, and means for varying the magnitude of said deforming force applied to said free end of said member during reproduction of said traces to nonlinearly vary .the positions of said reproducing heads relative to each other .and to said recording medium in accordance with the normal moveout function to produce substantial time coincidence of said corresponding signal portions of said reproduced traces.

2. Apparatus for removing the elfects of normal moveout on the relative times of occurrence of corresponding signal portions of a plurality of seismic detector traces produced by a plurality of spaced seismic wave detectors comprising a reproducible recording medium for recording said traces, a plurality of reproducing heads movable relative to said medium for reproducing said traces, a deformable member having a free end to which a deforming force is applied and a fixed end, said member being nonlinearly deformable along its length in response to said deforming force, means connecting said reproducing heads at spaced-apart points .along the length of said member, the spacings between said points being directly proportional to vthe Vspacirigs between said detectors, and means for varying the magnitude of said deforming force applied to-said free end of said member during reproduction of said traces to nonlinearly vary the positions of said reproducing heads relative to cach other and to said recording medium in accordance with the normal moveout function to produce substantial time coincidence of said corresponding signal. portions of said reproduced traces.

3. Apparatus for removing the eiiect of normal moveout on the relative times of occurrence of corresponding signal portions of a plurality of seismic detector traces comprising a reproducible recording medium for recording said traces, a plurality of reproducing heads movable relative to said medium for reproducing said traces, a deformable member extending transversely of said recording medium and having a free end to which a deforming force is applied and a iixed end, said member being nonlinearly deformable along its length in response to said deforming force, means connecting said reproducing heads at spaced-apart points along the length of said member, and means for varying the magnitude of said deforming force applied to said free end of said member during reproduction of said traces to nonlinearly vary the positions of said reproducing heads relative to each other and to said recording medium in accordance with the normal moveout function to produce substantial time coincidence of said corresponding signal portions of said reproduced traces.

4. Apparatus for removing the effects of normal moveout on the relative times of occurrence of corresponding signal portions of a plurality of seismic detector traces produced by a plurality of spaced seismic wave detectors comprising a reproducible recording medium for recording said traces, a plurality of reproducing heads movable relative to said medium for reproducing said traces, a deformable member having a free end to which a deforming yforce is applied and a fixed end, said mounting member being nonlinearly deformable along its length in. response `to said deforming-force, cable means connecting said reproducing heads to spaced-apart points along the length of said member, the spacings of said points along said member being directly proportional to the spacings of said detectors, and means for varying the magnitude of said deforming force applied to said free end of said member during reproduction of said traces to nonlinearly vary the positions of said reproducing heads relative to each other and to said recording medium in accordance with the normal moveout function to produce substantial time coincidence of said corresponding signal portions of said reproduced traces.

5. Apparatus for removing the effects of normal moveout on the relative times of occurrence of corresponding signal portions of a plurality of seismic detector traces comprising a reproducible recording medium, a plurality of recording heads movable relative to said medium for recording said signals, a deformable member having a free end to which a deforming force is applied and a xed end, said mounting member being nonlinearly deformable along its length in response to said deforming force, means connecting said recording heads at spacedapart points along the length of said member, and means for varying the magnitude of said deforming force applied to said free end of said member during recording of said traces to nonlinearly vary the positions of said recording heads relative to each other and to said recording medium in accordance with the normal moveout function to produce substantial time coincidence of said corresponding signal portions of the recorded traces.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,243,730 Ellis May 27, 1941 2,427,421 Rieber Sept. 16, 1947 Y 2,440,971 Palmer May 4, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 750,936 Germany Feb. 3, 1945 

